New elephant sanctuary for Myanmar

Myanmar to get new

elephant sanctuary

Animal welfare organisation Four Paws has started building one of the largest elephant sanctuaries in South-East Asia for former working elephants in Myanmar. Former logging elephants, as well as orphaned or injured animals, will be rehabilitated at the new facility to be called Elephants' Lake. Four Paws said export bans and logging restrictions in Myanmar had rendered about 1 000 elephants, which had been working in the teak industry, ‘jobless’. To prevent the now unemployed animals from being killed or having to endure being tourist attractions, Four Paws has started building the sanctuary. In the 17 000 ha facility in the Bago Region, vets and experts will rehabilitate the elephants and prepare them for a life of freedom.

– Cape Times (subscription needed)